Patient selection: head and neck surgery (inpatient and outpatient), age >= 18 years
Outcome: 30 day readmission (including those undergoing outpatient surgery)
Risk factors for readmission:
(1) coronary artery disease (CAD)
(2) chronic renal failure
(3) not attending the preoperative clinic
(4) length of stay greater than 5 days
(5) the presence of a gastrostomy tube
Reasons for readmission:
(1) wound infection
(2) surgical site bleeding
(3) pneumonia (often hospital acquired)
(4) medical complications (upper GI bleed, renal failure, dehydration, urinary retention)
(5) fistulae
(6) airway obstruction
(7) social reason (ejected from nursing facility and no where else to go)
Care requiring readmission:
(1) intravenous medications
(2) telemetry
(3) active bleeding
(4) complex wound care
(5) unstable airway
